Texas NBA

DALLAS (AP) - Nick Van Exel hit three 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter, helping the Dallas Mavericks out of their only cold spell.

The Mavericks scored a season-best 71 points in the first half and led by 18 in the third quarter until a series of missed jumpers let the Sonics get within five early in the fourth quarter.

Van Exel, who scored 17 points, hit a 3-pointer as the 24-second clock expired, then swished another after Seattle got within four.

Dallas set that one up by working the ball around the perimeter, which it had done so well early, but went away from during its scoring drought. Steve Nash chipped in another 3-pointer, then one more by Van Exel put Dallas back up 103-92.

The Sonics never got closer than seven again. When it did so with just less than a minute left, Michael Finley buried a 3-pointer for the decisive basket.

Finley led Dallas with 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Nash had 23 points and nine assists, and Dirk Nowitzki had 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Dallas has played nine of its past 10 games at home, and they are 8-2, including five straight wins, during that stretch.

Spurs 93, Nuggets 78

DENVER (AP) - Tim Duncan had 21 points and nine rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs won their seventh straight game.

San Antonio, 13-3 against the Midwest Division, also had a 10-game winning streak in December and won seven straight in November.

The Nuggets ended Portland's 12-game winning streak with clutch shooting in a 109-106 overtime victory on Saturday, but didn't give themselves a chance in this one. Denver missed its first nine 3-point attempts - 0-for-7 in the first half - and allowed several uncontested layups and dunks after not rotating on defense.

The Nuggets finished 1-for-13 from 3-point range.

The Spurs took advantage of Denver's porous defense, hitting 20 of 34 shots in the first half (58 percent) and shooting 50 percent overall. Antonio Daniels had 19 points for the Spurs, and Malik Rose added 18.

Denver's Antonio McDyess had 19 points in his best game since missing the first 54 because of knee surgery.